Find the Birds, Find the Fish

Alongside the Gulf coasts of Texas and Louisiana, when massive flocks of sea gulls maintain over shrimp and shad pushed to the floor by colleges of hungry speckled trout and redfish, the fishing goes to be off the charts. And seasoned anglers look to the sky for ­telltale indicators resulting in thrilling ­dawn-to-dusk motion.

All of it begins with the migration of shrimp and shad from the backwater marshes and estuary lakes that feed into the bays. That’s normally the results of falling water temperatures related to the primary gentle chilly fronts in late summer time and early fall. The migration strikes to the bays, and ultimately into the Gulf of Mexico, with incredible fishing typically lasting effectively into November, or till the primary exhausting chilly entrance of the season strikes by way of.

“Once we begin seeing the primary flights of teal shifting alongside the coast towards their wintering areas in Mexico, gulls are going to be holding over trout, and reds gorging on shrimp and shad,” says Capt. Jerry Norris, a longtime information in Sabine Lake, on the Texas-Louisiana border. “The dove season opens on September 1, and the early teal season opens proper ­after that, coinciding with the time when speckled trout and redfish grow to be simpler to seek out and catch.”

Fish Louisiana and Texas Bays When Waters Cool

There are a number of bays the place flocks of gulls are likely to hover over hungry trout and reds. The No. 1 spot in Louisiana is Calcasieu Lake. The very best locations in Texas are Sabine Lake, East Galveston Bay, West Galveston Bay and East Matagorda Bay. All are simply accessible, with good boat ramps.

Usually, when the ­motion below the birds begins, it’s with 13- to 15-inch male trout. However because the water temperature cools with passing fronts, trout within the 2- to 4-pound vary transfer in. “Throughout the first couple of weeks in September, we’ll be fishing with tender plastics rigged on ¼-ounce jig heads. The lures imitate shrimp that fish are feeding on,” says Capt. Jim West, who has been guiding on the Galveston Bay system for many years. “We not solely have reds and speckled trout below the gulls, but additionally large numbers of massive sand trout,” he provides.

It’s simple to faucet into the ­motion. It solely requires launching your boat and finding feeding flocks of sea gulls. The instrument to maintain you on the fish is an effective pair of binoculars to identify gulls ­dipping and diving. In most conditions, the primary one or two boats to reach will catch a number of strong fish. As soon as extra boats transfer in, the fish spook, and it’s time to seek out one other flock of birds.

“One of the best ways to strategy a college of feeding trout is to close down the outboard about 50 yards from the birds,” Norris says. “From there, ease to inside casting distance with the trolling motor. Figuring out which method the fish are shifting is essential, and being quiet is essential. As soon as I get into the motion, I attempt to place the boat in order that it drifts with the present or wind alongside the feeding fish. When it’s carried out proper, all people within the boat hooks up. It’s enjoyable fishing.”

Ideas for Fishing Underneath the Birds

Hanging Round Pays

One thing else to bear in mind is that the fish received’t go away a superb provide of shrimp or shad when disturbed, however somewhat will go to the underside, away from the floor noise. After different boats go away to seek out one other flock of gulls, anglers within the know stick across the space and work jigs alongside the underside, a sport plan that ceaselessly produces 4- to 6-pound trout and, ceaselessly, redfish within the 20- to 28-inch class.

Lures of Alternative

Delicate-plastic jigs are the highest general lures for taking each trout and reds below birds. Silver spoons, topwater plugs and crankbaits are additionally good. A topwater typically delivers the heavier fish. Such a lure may be solid effectively forward of the boat, and that’s usually the place the large, cautious massive trout feed close to the floor.

“I’ve all the time acquired a topwater lure tied on, able to fish,” says Matagorda information Charlie Paradoski. “It’s undoubtedly the most suitable choice for catching greater trout and reds below the birds. A Tremendous Spook works effectively; so does a MirrOlure She Canine. The ­colour is de facto not that essential, however a few of my favorites are bone, pink-and-silver, and chrome-and-blue.

“A few of our greatest catches of massive trout happen in late October and into November, and that’s one of the best time to make use of a topwater plug. If the water floor is slick-calm, scale right down to one thing like a Tremendous Spook Jr. If it’s a bit tough, go along with a bigger plug like a MirrOlure Prime Canine.”

Gulf Coast Reds and Trout

Good imitations of shad and pogies migrating from the marsh to the Gulf, silver spoons are efficient on their very own. However a ½-ounce silver spoon trailing a D.O.A. ­paddle-tail grub is lethal. The flash of the spoon mixed with a grub in pearl or chartreuse will catch the bigger fish, particularly when the lure tandem is allowed to sink towards backside. It’s a real redfish magnet, plus it may be solid out of sight, which is especially essential once you run into a college of reds.

After all, you might have the choice of fishing a spoon with out a trailer. However in the event you take the treble hook off and add a single, straight-shank 2/0 hook and trailer to the spoon, you’ll greater than possible catch heavier fish.

On Sabine Lake, it’s in no way uncommon to see reds gorging on shad. Most are within the 25- to 30-inch class, and so they make one thing akin to a ship wake when chasing a college of baitfish on high. As soon as a college is noticed, you both crank up the outboard and run to them, or decide the path of the fish and reduce them off. Redfish will hit absolutely anything they see, however the spoon with a trailer is very good.

Attempt Fishing with Shrimp Lures

Many of the trout can be feeding on shrimp, so be sure you carry a provide of lures that imitate the crustaceans. It’s common to see a giant shrimp skipping throughout the floor, fleeing for it’s life.

Usually, August and September is when the motion below the birds ­begins. Towards the center of September, it begins to select up. And are available October, it’s common to see large flocks of gulls choosing baitfish and shrimp off the floor. By the tip of October and the primary week of November, the motion begins to wane. However that’s additionally when among the heaviest trout begin to present up below the birds.

Because the migration of shad and shrimp begins to peter out, you’ll now not see the large flocks of gulls. Then, you would possibly see solely a half-dozen birds over a college of trout. However even in the event you spot only a single gull hovering over one explicit space, go to it. You simply by no means know. It might be suspending over a pair of reds, or a complete faculty.

Ways for Redfish

Gulls aren’t the one birds that lead you to fish; terns and pelicans will ­additionally. Terns, aka liar birds, are a lot smaller than gulls and very often look like over fish after they’re actually not. Conversely, in the event you see pelicans diving into the water, undoubtedly don’t cross them up. Even a single pelican crashing into bait will greater than possible be over trout.

As soon as the phrase spreads in regards to the motion below the birds, it’s assured to place loads of boats on the water. It’ll be chaos at instances. When a flock of birds is noticed, it typically turns into a ship race to see who will get there first. If ­different boats are on a giant flock of gulls, it’s OK to maneuver in, however with the trolling motor so that you received’t spook the fish.

Some days the fishing may be loopy—a fish hooked on nearly each solid. It’s undoubtedly all proper to catch-and-release reds and trout all day lengthy. In actual fact, throughout September it’s not ­uncommon to catch 25 or 30 undersize trout in a number of hours of run-and-gun fishing. You should definitely deal with and unhook undersize fish with care, and don’t ice too many keepers in the course of the frenzy. This can be a time when sport wardens are usually not within the behavior of writing ­warning tickets.